Final answer:
Decomposition reactions are typically catabolic reactions where larger molecules are broken down into smaller ones, as opposed to exchange reactions which rearrange components to create new products.
Step-by-step explanation:
Decomposition reactions are commonly catabolic reactions. These types of reactions involve the breaking down of larger molecules into smaller ones. In chemistry, a decomposition reaction typically has the general form AB → A + B, where a compound AB is broken down into its simpler constituents, A and B. This process is the opposite of a synthesis or anabolic reaction, in which smaller molecules are joined together to form larger ones.
Examples of such decomposition processes can be found both in inorganic chemistry, such as the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen, and in biological systems where complex organic molecules are broken down through various catabolic pathways to release energy.
An exchange reaction, on the other hand, is a type of chemical reaction where both synthesis and decomposition occur, where the components of reacting chemicals are rearranged to form new products.